I'm a Survivor
by Silver Elf Child
Summary: Seventh in the Raptor Saga. The Raptors set up an ambush to test the Maximals. What happens when it works? Please R&R.


Disclaimer: Hasbro owns the Beast Wars and it's characters. I own my kitties, the Raptor Gang, my new Maximals, and my beast war action figures. I belong to God. I'm a Survivor' belongs to Reba McEntire.

A/N: Seventh in the raptor Saga. Thanks to Wicked Woman, Black Wing, General Ramhorn of the Tripredicus Council, and Flyby Stardancer for the reviews. Any constructive criticism is most appreciated. I can't get any better without some good constructive criticism. Oh and Flyby Stardancer they were not making out. Since when does Dinobot ever talk', he grumbles and argues.

I'm a Survivor

By Silver Elf Child

The jungles canopy protected the forest floor and creatures from the noon day harsh sun. Under these same conditions in any other part of the world the temperature would have been well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, but here it was a nice and cool 65 degrees.

"Come one you two hurry up," snapped Rogue.

"Great we get stuck with the two trouble makers," commented Cheetra.

"Yeah I know, and to make things worse he knows."

"Sorry about that, I can kill him for you," Cheetra said with a grin.

"No thank you. If he says or tries anything I'm going to enjoy killing his miserable hide."

The two female Maximals laugh to one another as their male counterparts lag behind complaining about their female companions.

"Man why did we get stuck with the two most impossible females," complained Rattrap.

"I don't know Rattrap, Cheetra is kinds cute."

"Kiddo, don't make me hurt you. If it wasn't for their friend, or should I say the boss monkeys girlfriend we would not be here."

"Hey it's not my fault that you were spying on them."

"Hello! That's my job, I'm a spy! And I wasn't spying on them!"

"BOYS HURRY UP!"

Rattrap and Cheetor run to catch up to Rogue and Cheetra. It is obvious that each of the four are uncomfortable by the opposite sexes presence on the mission. Rouge started an argument with Rattrap to find out what he had heard when he was evesdropping. Cheetra, annoyed by the argument, walked ahead shaking her head. "This is ridiculous. Fighting over something so stupid," she said to herself.

"Yeah."

Cheetra spun around to find Cheetor standing behind her drooling. "What do you want freckles? Don't look at me like that! I do NOT want you following me around like an annoying little brother."

"I'm not. What am I supposed to do? Join in their argument?" Cheetor asked thumbing in the direction of Rogue and Rattrap.

Cheetra snapped and started to yell at Cheetor. The four Maximals argue in two separate groups. They did not notice the three raptors lurking in the forest shadows. The raptors smiled evilly. This was going to easier then they had thought. The Maximals were too busy arguing amongst themselves to see them advancing.

"And one thing more rat...." A laser beam flashed by Rogues head and barely missed. "WHAT the?!"

"Raptors!" exclaimed Rattrap.

"Everyone take cover!" ordered Rogue.

"Who died and made you Prime!" yelled Rattrap.

Rogue rushed Rattrap and knocked him to the ground. The two barely miss being hit by Demadexes gunfire.

"You have no option. I'm giving the orders so take them. Get your stinking blaster out and start firing already!"

Rattrap and Rogue whip out their weapons and return fire, as Cheetra and Cheetor ran for cover. E.O. and Demetrius followed the pair of cheetahs.

"Where are they," whispered Cheetra as she crouched behind a bush.

Cheetor responded in a mocking tone, "how should I know, I'm suppose to be the childish little brother who needs to be babysat."

Cheetra cast him an angry glance just before the ground between them was blown to pieces. Shards of rock and dirt went everywhere and the blast sent the two Maximals flying apart. The two both landed with a thud.

"We have to create a diversion!" yelled Cheetra over the noise of blaster fire.

"How?!"

"I don't know you think of something!"

"Why me?"

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Rattrap and Rogue were having an easier time dealing with one raptor instead of two. It also helped that Rogue was calling the shots and, for once, Rattrap was taking the orders without complaint.

"Get behind those rocks they will give us better protection than the trees," Rogue ordered.

The two Maximals dove to safety behind the boulders.

"Hey you're not that bad at this stuff," said Rattrap.

"I guess so, by the way what did you hear the other day?" Rogue asked as she fired a few shots at Demadex.

"Uh...well.... (A little chuckle).... All I heard was you girls laughing about something, and then one of you said you kinda liked one of us guys.... But I didn't catch who because Cheetor came up and stepped on my hand and I dropped the wrench."

Rogue gave a sigh of relief. "Well good. You did learn your lesson for eves dropping?" Rogue said inquisitively as Rattrap fired at Demadex.

"And what was dat?"

"Not to eves drop or else you'll get stepped on," she laughed.

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Cheetor and Cheetra split up to divide the raptors defense. Cheetra came to a stop, spun around, and shot at E.O. Direct hit!

"Yeah! Take that ugly!" she shouted in triumph.

"We'll see about that," said E.O with a wry grin before she ran back to

Demetrius. "Come on, it worked now let's get Demadex and get out of here."

The two raptors made their retreat with Cheetor in hot pursuit. After they were some ways off he made his way back to Cheetra.

"Hey Cheetra where are you?"

"Uh...Cheetor, I think I have a problem."

"Don't worry the raptors are long... gone."

Just as Cheetor was about to finish his sentence he found Cheetra waist deep in quick sand. She was struggling with all her might to free herself from the thick, quiet killer.

"Cheetor help me."

"Don't move."

"Cheetor! Get me outta here!"

"Stop struggling your only making it worse."

"CHEETOR!"

"Okay, hold on."

Cheetor lay down and stretched out his hand and tried to grab her hand to pull her out. "Give me your hand Cheetra." They were ten centimeters too short and could not reach each other.

"Cheetor," she whispered.

Cheetor looked at Cheetra's hopeless face and saw the fear in her optics. For the first time that day Cheetor was frightened. Not for himself, but for Cheetra. He couldn't reach her and her panicking just made things worse. By now Cheetra was buried in the quicksand half way up her abdomen.

"Okay, calm down girl think," Cheetra said to herself as she took deep breaths. She desperately looked around to see if there was anything that Cheetor could use to help her. She finally found the answers to her prayers.

"Cheetor the vines! You can use them as a rope!"

"Got it!

Cheetor cut a vine and threw one end to Cheetra, "tie it around your arm."

She tied the vine to her left wrist, "okay ready."

Cheetor grabbed the vine and pulled with all his might. The suction down was more then Cheetor's exerted force sideways. Cheetra's body did not budge (here's your physics lesson for today kids, force is equal to mass times acceleration. Don't ask, I'm sick of chemistry so lets do some physics, my other fave.)

"I can't pull hardenough," Cheetor said as he struggled to pull Cheetra out. After giving up he added, "I have to get Rattrap and Rogue to help."

"Hurry. It's getting hard to breathe."

Cheetor took off to find the others. He was only gone five cycles before he returned empty-handed.

"Cheetra CHEETRA!"

All that was left of Cheetra was her hand sticking out of the quicksand. Cheetor rushed in and tried to reach her, but he was starting to sink as well. He grabbed a tree root and pulled himself free of the deadly mess.

"Cheetra," he said in despair, then he realized that she still had the vine tied around her wrist. He grabbed his end and threw it over a tree branch and pulled. He pulled with all his might; harder then he had ever pulled before. He felt some unknown new power surge through him as he pulled her from the quicksand. As Cheetra was pulled from the quicksand Cheetor heard her gasp for breath. He kept pulling, for if he did not he would lose her again to the quicksand. Cheetor pulled her till her hand touched the branch.

"Grab it!"

"I can't," Cheetra said in a weak voice.

"Grab it!"

"I can't. Too weak."

Cheetor tied the vine to another tree and he climbed the tree from which Cheetra now dangled. Cheetra's hand started to slip out of the loop tied around her wrist, and Cheetor was barely half way up the trunk! She slipped more from her lifeline and her hand was barely in the loop. Then finally the vine gave way and Cheetra fell back toward the quicksand that sat quietly below ready to swallow her alive. Suddenly Cheetra's descent was stopped as Cheetor grabbed her hand. He pulled her up and over the branch. When she was safe he pulled her close to him and they clung to the tree trunk. He swung her onto his back and climbed to safety.

"Thank Primus for little brothers," Cheetra said in an even weaker voice before passing out.

It was getting dark and somewhere in the distance Cheetor heard a clap of thunder. An energon storm was starting to brew and Cheetor knew that he could not get back to base with Cheetra wounded and passed out in an energon storm. He took Cheetra's unconscious form to a cave, where he built a fire and tended to her wounds from the battle.

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"Now that the raptors are gone lets go find the kids," said Rattrap.

"Sounds good. Let's go."

Rattrap and Rogue rush to find the kitten duo. After a time they come to the crater blast that had originally divided the two.

"Cheetra!" called Rogue "Cheetor, where are you?!"

"Yo pussy cat! You can come out now!" shouted Rattrap. "This is not good," he said pessimistically looking at Rogue when they did not get a reply.

"I know, but we have to keep looking."

The pair continued on looking in desperation for their missing comrades. After one megacycle and no cats they began to loose hope and radioed for help.

"This is Rattrap calling Maximal base, come in Maximal base."

~We hear you Rattrap what's wrong~ came Thunder Racer's voice.

"We were attacked by raptors and now Cheetor and Cheetra are missing."

~We're on our way, don't move.~

"Great what do we do now?" asked Rogue.

"Keep looking for them."

"But the storm..." Rogue said as the first few drops of rain began to fall.

"They have to be around here somewhere. The raptors didn't take them."

"But what if they were scrapped?"

"Then there would be pieces of them and since we haven't found anything, I'm betting their hiding."

"Then maybe we should do the same from the storm."

"Yeah I guess your right."

"I feel sorry for Cheetra being stuck out there with him."

"Why's dat?"

"She can't stand him. I hope she can hold on long enough to survive without killing him."

"Oh man, like I always say we're all going to die."

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At midnight Cheetra awoke and looked around the cave.

"Ch-ch-cheetor?"

"Yes."

"I'm c-c-c-c-cold"

"How can you be cold," he asked as he left his visual from the caves entrance to go to her side "I have a fire going."

"I don't know, I'm just cold."

"I don't know what else I can do for you."

"Hold me."

"What?"

"Hold me. I'm scared."

"But Cheetra"

"I wish Rocksore was here. He would know what to do."

"I wish Optimus was here."

"Please Cheetor. I'm freezing."

Hesitantly he lay down next to her. He did not realize it at the time, but he was exhausted. After lying with Cheetra for a quarter of a megacycle he fell asleep. 

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All the Maximals were searching high and low for the Cheetor and Cheetra. They braved the night and the storm. As the sun started to rise, Cheetor woke and heard voices in the forest. He rose from beside Cheetra and went to the cave entrance. There was no mistaking it; off in the distance he heard the others calling for them.

"Hey Cheetra wake up," he said walked back to nudge her. After tapping her on the shoulder he went back to the cave entrance. He started to leave when he looked back and said, "come on Cheetra the guys are looking for us... Cheetra."

She lay next to the smoldering fire and did not move.

"Cheetra," Cheetor said as he nudged her again. "Come on stop playing around wake up. Cheetra."

Still she lay there without moving. He panicked and ran out of the cave. He ran blindly for a meter before running right into Rocksore's huge chest.

"Cheetor what's wrong?"

"Ch....ch... ch," he stammered.

"It's okay, don't try to talk, just show me," soothed Rocksore.

Cheetor lead the way back to the cave where Cheetra lay presumably dead.

Rocksore walked over and looked her over, "she's still alive, but we need to get her to a CR chamber fast." Cheetor gave a sigh of relief as Rocksore picked Cheetra up. 

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Meanwhile the others have found the quicksand. Cheetra's gun lay on the surface near a circular indention surrounded by marks of Cheetra's futile struggles. The place where Cheetor raced into save her is obvious as well.

"Oh no," gasped Rogue in horror.

Optimus shook his head in disbelief, "I can't believe this, Cheetor knows better. They just have to be alive!"

"Not the kiddo, anyone but him," mourned Rattrap.

Rocksore and Cheetor came through the surrounding bushes unnoticed. After a moment Thunder Racer turned and found them quietly standing behind the group and shouted happily, "Cheetor! Cheetra! Your alive!"

The others quickly turn around and stare in disbelief.

"Spots your alive!" shouted Rattrap with relief.

"Cheetra won't be for long if we don't get her to a CR chamber," said Rocksore solemnly.

"Then we have to get her back ASAP," ordered Wind Chaser.

The Maximals rush her back. While she is in the CR chamber Cheetor told the others his part of the tale.

"Sounds like she was suffering from hypothermia," said Rhinox.

"Mm hmm," agreed Rocksore "your actions saved her life."

"Well I don't know about that," Cheetor muttered. "If I hadn't left her she would have been better off."

"She's alive, that's all that matters." said Kuma. "Be thankful for small favors."

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Three megacycles later Cheetra emerged good as new. The first place she went to was Rocksore's quarters.

"Hey there rock!" she said cheerfully.

"Hey there kitten. How are you feeling?"

"Good as new but a little confused, what happened?"

"What is the last thing you remember?"

"Being in a cave with Cheetor."

"Well all that you missed was coming home."

She stood for a bit before finally sitting down on the bed. Rocksore noticed her apprehension and turned to look at her. "What's wrong?" he asks in a tender tone.

"I don't know. I can't stand how he's always drooling over me, but I can't help but be grateful to him for saving my life."

"The world works in mysterious ways."

"That's a lot of help now you're starting to sound like Kuma."

"What I'm trying to say is give him a chance. He'll grow up. Boys just take a little longer."

The two laugh.

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Raptor base: EO's office.

E.O leaned back in her chair with her feet up on the desk. Demetrius stands at attention behind her. Megatron's visage is on the view screen.

~So everything went as planned~ questioned Megatron.

"Of course," said E.O with a laugh.

"The Maximals walked right into the quicksand trap," stated Demetrius flatly.

~Good~

"Did you ever doubt me Megatron? If you did you should not. My troops are not incompetent."

~Did the Maximal perish?~

"I don't care if she did or not. My job was to lure her into the trap not to see her die!"

~The Maximal was supposed to die E.O.~

"That's nice, E.O. out!" E.O turned the view screen off and turned to Demetrius "He's funny, isn't he?"

"How so?"

"All he cares about is killing the Maximals, he doesn't realize that we got some valuable information from this exercise."

"And that is much better then one Maximal?"

"Of course, especially since it will help us get rid of ALL the Maximals."

The two raptors laugh maniacally.

Fade to black

Tune in for more exciting adventures same cat time same cat channel.

Smile, Live, Laugh, Love and God Bless


End file.
